Ametora, W. David Marx

This book adumbrates the sometimes-interesting, sometimes-tedious history of how Japanese men in the post-war period emulated traditional American menswear and, in so doing, maintained traditions that fell out of favor in their home country. Like a lot of popular non-fiction, this book likely could have been a magazine article. Beginning about midway through, it felt increasingly like a recitation of stores opened, trips taken, and catalogs printed. The American subculture may shift and change -- though barely, as the Ivy style of the 1960s gives way to the Heavy Duty movement of the early 70s, which is just what Ivy guys wear on weekends or during ski trips -- but the process by which men in Japan learn how to mimic its rules and gestures is mostly the same. Like, oh, now they're dressing like undergrads at UCLA in 1975. As American men get more slovenly, Japanese men follow behind (but look better) and eventually branch out into their designs.

It's not that Marx doesn't discuss broader trends in Japanese history and culture, but the treatment is rather shallow, with more detail given to openings, revenue, and magazine covers than politics or art. Marx is a correspondent for GQ, so this focus makes sense. But I personally am less fascinated by, like, a time a certain rapper wore a certain t-shirt or how many stores were open in the provinces. I would actually have appreciated more on how to procure these things for myself!

The Japanese men appreciated Ivy style for the same reason that I did -- it had clear rules! Women's fashion, to me, has always been too complicated, where one must not only conform to certain standards but stand out at the same time. The cuts, fabrics, and styles change with every season. It's exhausting.

I perked up at the final few chapters, where the book overlapped with an era of internet fashion history that I myself remember. It even reminded me of a few of them menswear blogs -- A Continuous Lean! -- that I followed back in 2012-2015.

Like the monks during the middle ages preserving sacred texts and history following the fall of Rome, Japanese fashion maintained traditions and processes -- particularly around denim -- that American companies and consumers discarded for things that were cheaper and easier.